Leinster proved to be a mighty opponent against Toulouse in the semi-final of the Champions Cup. The Irish province continued their unbeaten streak, defeating Toulouse 41-22, and booking their place in the final of the tournament.
The game began with Toulouse, the only club with a richer pedigree in this competition, opening the scoring with a slick and effortless try from Pita Ahki. However, this would be the only time the French giants would be in the lead. Leinster's pick-and-drive routine was overpowering, and they capitalised on Toulouse's indiscipline.
The French side conceded five tries, four of which were scored when they were down to 14 men. Yellow cards for Thomas Ramos in the first half and Rodrigue Neti in the second half were all the invitation Leinster needed to extend their lead.
Jack Conan scored twice while Ramos was away to take Leinster into a 20-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second half, Josh van der Flier scored from the lineout set up by Neti's indiscretion. Jason Jenkins's charge at the line proved to be one too many for Toulouse after the subsequent lineout. Leinster's captain James Ryan, ruled the lineouts appropriately, and Conan's first-half scores also came from set-pieces.
Leinster's discipline in the game was exemplary, and Toulouse was unable to create any significant chances outside of their two tries. They lost a back to injury in the first half, which resulted in a reshuffle. This allowed Antoine Dupont to develop the roving brief he plays so well, but it was not enough to get the win.
Leinster's victory means they are on track to equal Toulouse's record of five European crowns. They will play either La Rochelle or Exeter in the final, which will take place in Dublin in three weeks. This is an exciting time for Leinster, who will be playing in front of a "home" crowd at the Aviva Stadium. For Toulouse, it was a sobering afternoon, and they will need to work on their indiscipline if they want to have a chance at winning the tournament in the future.